Comparing 1976 Trillium to 2010 Scamp

[kootenaigirl]

Hi,
We just got our 2010 hardly used Scamp 16 and I had a few observations compared to our 1976 Trillium 1300.
There are many things I love on the new Scamp but I was a little surprised in these areas that the Trillium wins out!

Door seal - the one on the Scamp is pathetic compared to the Trillium's and you can already see where dirt is getting in at the bottom.
Door lock - I know of all the issues with the Bargman's but I much prefer the style to the Scamp one which seems very flimsy and I managed to lock myself inside on the way home!
Head room - My husband is 6ft and his head touches the ceiling in Scamp (not the Trillium) probably due to more insulation etc.
Windows - I am hoping the sliders in Scamp will improve with use, right now they are brutal to open and very difficult to lock. I love the Trilliums jalousie windows and all the air and light they let in.
Rock guard - love how my Trillium has the struts to hold it open, hate that you have to take the Scamps right off or do a mod.
Shape - I acutally prefer the Trilliums more boxy shape but I am sure the Scamp's will grow on me and it does make me smile!
Sink tap - hate the cheap plastic topped one in the Scamp, prefer my all metal Trill one.

Anyway thought this might help people with older trailers who are yearning for newer trailers, the oldies definately have their place!
Maybe there will be a larger old Trillium in my future. I couldn't understand when I first looked at this forum why people had several trailers. Now I know, it's like an addiction!!!

[honda03842]

I had a tight sliders on our 20 year old Scamp 16. I took a can of Silicon spray, the red stuff from Walmarts and sprayed it into the top and bottom tracks of the sliders. Now ours move a lot easier. Hope it works for you.

I also spray this into the door lock and the hinges, making the door much easier to close.

[Ed Harris]

I agree for sure.
There will always be things in each rig that really are better than another.

Having had 2 Trill' and a Scamp and Casitas now I miss the windows the most I think.
Sliders only open 1/2 way and I prefer the open wind pass through of the Trill for breeze.
On the other hand the sliders do seal up tighter than the Jalousie which can also be an advantage.

It is really all in your point of view and mine is always changing.

Ed

[Marsha D]

We had an older Scamp 13 that had the jalousie windows and sure wish our Casita had them. It was nice when it was raining to have open windows without having to do modifications or have the rain come in. Oh, if we could only have the best of all rolled into one!

[Kevin K]

Jalousie windows in my opinion are way better.

[kootenaigirl]

Norm and Ginny - Thanks for the silicon spray tip, I will pick some up.

[Donna D.]

Some of the things you dislike about the Scamp are easily changed. Faucets, door seal and gravel guard struts... okay not struts, but something to hold it up.... I use PVC. I can't think of any brand of trailer that's perfect, not everything and not everyone. Mods are what make the trailer uniquely your own. Some are happy to use as-is, others put in built in vacuum cleaners!

I'd change the slider windows in my Scamp to the old fashioned jalousies in a heartbeat!

[Lizbeth]

I really appreciate your post. We have recently purchase our second Bigfoot 5th wheel trailer. Our first was a single axle and the second is a dual axle. We really thought we wanted the dual axle from the beginning. Now we have both and even though they were built only a few months apart, they are so different. Completely different molds and both have feature we like over the other. I wish we could clone the good into one trailer!

Can you let us know what to call you? kootenai girl doesn't seem like a real name to me.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by kootenaigirl

Hi,
We just got our 2010 hardly used Scamp 16 and I had a few observations compared to our 1976 Trillium 1300.
There are many things I love on the new Scamp but I was a little surprised in these areas that the Trillium wins out!

Door seal - the one on the Scamp is pathetic compared to the Trillium's and you can already see where dirt is getting in at the bottom.
Door lock - I know of all the issues with the Bargman's but I much prefer the style to the Scamp one which seems very flimsy and I managed to lock myself inside on the way home!
Head room - My husband is 6ft and his head touches the ceiling in Scamp (not the Trillium) probably due to more insulation etc.
Windows - I am hoping the sliders in Scamp will improve with use, right now they are brutal to open and very difficult to lock. I love the Trilliums jalousie windows and all the air and light they let in.
Rock guard - love how my Trillium has the struts to hold it open, hate that you have to take the Scamps right off or do a mod.
Shape - I acutally prefer the Trilliums more boxy shape but I am sure the Scamp's will grow on me and it does make me smile!
Sink tap - hate the cheap plastic topped one in the Scamp, prefer my all metal Trill one.

Anyway thought this might help people with older trailers who are yearning for newer trailers, the oldies definately have their place!
Maybe there will be a larger old Trillium in my future. I couldn't understand when I first looked at this forum why people had several trailers. Now I know, it's like an addiction!!!

I have owned both myself and found that the problems mentioned with the Scamp were either non-existent or easily solved, while the problems with the Trillium are not.
The Trillium is a fine trailer and well made for sure, but it is inherently less stable to tow and it's shape results in more power being necessary to do so.
I am saddened by the news that Scamp may no longer offer the slider windows, but I see them only as a matter of preference, a choice which I would like to see remain available. Their door seal is,as you say, pathetic and the door is less than perfect, same goes for the latch mechanism. I have found simple cures for the latch and the seal , but have resigned myself to the door design as a fair trade for the endearing quality that it brings to the overall design.
I too am 6ft in height and find that my head can touch the ceiling in my prefire Scamp 13, however that is not the case in any 16 or post fire 13 which I have been inside. Perhaps your shoes have thicker soles than mine.
Having a removable rock guard is an advantage with many Scamp layouts since it allows the driver to see through the trailer while towing. Mine has a front bath, so the Rockguard is no issue.

Scamp now offers both a different door gasket and an additional lock, each of which is more effective than it's predecessor.

[kootenaigirl]

Thanks for everyone's replies. I am sure I am going to love camping in my Scamp. We were tent campers for twenty five years so it is all new and novel to me.

Hi Floyd, I loked at Scamp's online store and the door lock and door seal are the same as the one's on my 2010 as far as I can see, unless I am missing some fine details?

Lizbeth - we live in a fairly sparsly populated area therefore I like the anonymity of 'kootenai girl' until I start meeting up with other Egg folks in person .

[floyd]

Originally Posted by kootenaigirl

Thanks for everyone's replies. I am sure I am going to love camping in my Scamp. We were tent campers for twenty five years so it is all new and novel to me.

Hi Floyd, I loked at Scamp's online store and the door lock and door seal are the same as the one's on my 2010 as far as I can see, unless I am missing some fine details?

Lizbeth - we live in a fairly sparsly populated area therefore I like the anonymity of 'kootenai girl' until I start meeting up with other Egg folks in person .

The new door lock is being worked out and will be soon be introduced, it will likely be an off the shelf item like a storm door deadbolt.
If you call, you can purchase the new closed cell "D" shaped door gasket over the phone, you can tell them I said to call.
The best threshold gasket is a closed cell square self stick material. they may not have that but it is available locally.
I did my original with an "Omega" shaped material, then quickly decided to recommend the "D" shape to other Scamp owners, including Scamp.
It eventually became available upon request from Scamp as an aftermarket gasket, whether it will become OEM standard is yet to be seen.